Cessna Citation Ascend Rolls Out First Production Unit

Textron Aviation marks key milestone as Citation Ascend certification approaches.

Citation Ascend rolls out first production unit
[Credit: Textron Aviation]
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Key Takeaways:

  • Textron Aviation has rolled out the first production unit of its Cessna Citation Ascend midsize business jet at its Wichita, Kansas, manufacturing facility.
  • The Citation Ascend is part of the Citation 560XL series, with FAA certification anticipated later this year.
  • Designed with customer input, it features a flat floor cabin, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines for improved efficiency, and Garmin G5000 avionics with autothrottle capability.
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Textron Aviation announced Monday that its Cessna Citation Ascend program rolled out its first production aircraft at its Wichita, Kansas, manufacturing facility. The midsize business jet is part of the Citation 560XL series and is expected to receive FAA certification later this year, the company said.

“Today is a big celebration and thank you to everyone who has been a part of building up to this point. It is your craftsmanship that continues to make milestones like this possible,” said Todd McKee, senior vice president of Integrated Supply Chain, during a company event celebrating the milestone.

Textron said it designed the Ascend with input from customers, incorporating features found on the Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, including a flat floor cabin for added legroom. The jet will use Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines for improved efficiency and thrust, along with Garmin G5000 avionics featuring autothrottle capability. Additional features include a Honeywell RE100 [XL] APU, 19 USB charging ports, and seating for nine passengers. The 560XL series has delivered more than 1,000 aircraft over the past 25 years.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.
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